Gravity
by Rissilla
Summary: It happened exactly three years and two-hundred and sixty-five days after she had left the Bebop. She usually never counted insignificant things; however, as cold and rainy as it had been on that September afternoon, the number of days she had been alone before she saw him smack-dab in the middle of the crosswalk of Etna and Jefferson, didn't matter anymore.
1. Session One: Crosswalk of Etna & Jeffers

_**DISCLAIMER**__**: **_I wish that I owned Cowboy Bebop; however, I do NOT! *Hugs a life-size cut-out of Spike.* You would be alive if I did.

_**AUTHOR'S NOTE**__**:**_ I have not posted anything since 2008, so please criticize my writing so I can improve. (I was known as Bounty-Huntress-Rissa back in the day, but I changed my name.) Also the inspiration for this story comes from the song _**'Gravity' By Sara Bareillas, **_if you have never heard the song you should go to YouTube right now. Please enjoy the story. ^^

* * *

_**Gravity**_

_**By Rissilla**_

"_**You loved me 'cause I'm fragile**_

_**When I thought that I was strong**_

_**But you touch me for a little while**_

_**And all my fragile strength is gone"**_

* * *

**Session One: Crosswalk of Etna & Jefferson**

It happened exactly three years and two-hundred and sixty-five days after she had left the Bebop, almost exactly one week before the anniversary of his death. She knew this fact not so much because she suffered from a broken heart, but because it was just one of those things people remember. Like her ex-boyfriend's birthday or counting cards at a blackjack table in a casino. She usually never counted insignificant things; however, as cold and rainy as it had been on that September afternoon, the number of days she had been alone before she saw him smack-dab in the middle of the crosswalk of Etna and Jefferson, didn't matter anymore.

From the outside, like if you were the one sitting in the car stopped at the red light watching the frantic crowd scramble in both directions across the street right before the light could change, it was only a humdrum, city photo: two strangers, passing in the intersection, and making brief eye contact. They had nothing in common, she held her black umbrella close and he held onto the only protection he had from the rain, which was a fluffy pink coat and a newspaper over his head. Their glances were stiff, but not unfriendly before moving on their way. But within that moment it was a very special story.

Inside, she was completely breathless as she made it safely onto the curb. She stood there for a moment, her knuckles going white from gripping her umbrella too hard. She tilted her head slightly over her shoulder to see if she was seeing things, but the illusion was gone. Walking further down the street, she made her way to the empty diner, across the street from the ISSP Station. 'I'm seeing dead people.' She thought as she shook her head. Her eyes were playing tricks on her. A trick that was just too cruel.

She watched as the waitress cleaned a table only a few booths from the door, she felt like she had been standing by the door for hours when the waitress finally noticed her standing by the 'Please Wait to Be Seated' sign, "Oh, I'm so sorry, Sug. I didn't know I still had that sign up. Go ahead and sit anywhere."

The waitress' voice struck her as oddly compassionate that she almost wondered if she could divulge in the slightly older woman. Instead, she slid into the ugly blue, like someone's suit, vinyl booth in the back corner of the diner. She placed her pursed against the window seal and swore to herself to never speak or think of that fleeting moment again. To share her feelings with a complete stranger was not her style, nor was it something that Faye Valentine would ever do.

"What can I get you, Sug?" The waitress, whose name tag read the name Stacy, asked. She had straight brown hair and a smile that brighten someone's mood. There were a few wrinkles under her eyes, along with a faint healing of an old bruise on her left cheek. Stacy probably had a story to tell too.

She only wanted coffee, but since she knew exactly how annoying it was for someone to just order coffee, "I'll take a coffee and a piece of cheesecake."

"Sure thing."

She smiled and thanked the woman. When Stacy turned to the kitchen, Faye finally let out the air that she had not realized she was holding. Turning to the window, she closed her eyes and focused on one thing: how she swore to forget him and the Bebop. So far she had almost forgotten everything about him, including things that would have infuriated most women, but some things still remained. The way he smelled of cigarette's and oil. How he would call her Romani when she called him Gaucho. And the way he would lay on that stained covered yellow couch, not caring if she or anyone else wanted to sit there too. Yep, she was really forgetting him.

"Did you want whipped cream with your pie?" Stacy called from over the counter.

"Of course," She answered back as she played with the hem of her skirt.

Her mind began to drift back to that night that she decided to leave. How Jet asked if it was what she really wanted to do. She remembered smiling, then hugging him, as she thought "I'll miss you. I'll miss this place. I'll miss everyone." She jumped into the Redtail and never looked back. She found a small apartment in Tharsis, where her land lord was actually a big bounty head for seventy million woolongs for drug and human trafficking, so she paid off her debt, all of it. Now she worked in the hospital as a records keeper and she hasn't gambled since, not once. She hasn't heard from Jet either, not even Edward. She hoped they were doing well, she prayed that they were.

Then her mind wandered to that night he left. How she and Jet sat in silence in the control room, the Bebop didn't even make a noise. She cried a little bit later and Jet, while limping, left the room. That's when she realized she didn't belong there anymore. That as soon as Ed left with Ein and Spike left to die she realized that it was no longer home anymore. She decided to leave, which brings her to this little diner now.

By the time Stacy brought out her pie, she was back at that intersection, her heart thudding against her chest. Suddenly, she knew that in spite of how happy she was now with her new life, she would never forget the family she had on the Bebop. She wouldn't soon forget that moment, that tightness in her throat as she saw his face again. Though she dreadfully wanted to forget the whole thing; she really wanted to.

She glanced up to the gaze out the big window beside her. She had no worries about getting home through the rain, and even less business feeling worries about the errands she needed to run. She was only worried about the flushed red glow on her cheeks, praying that the rain and wind had put it that and nothing else.

That's when her communication link rang and she heard his voice. A voice that she hadn't heard for exactly three years and two-hundred and sixty-five days.

"Was that really you?" he asked. His voice was even deeper than she has remembered, but otherwise it was like she was back in the corridor with him. Like finishing that old conversation before he left.

"Yes."

"So," he said, "You still have the same comm. link?"

Then after a long moment of silence, one she refused to fill he added, "I guess some things don't change."

"Yes." she said again.

After another long silence filled conversation, her throat began to dry from the shock of hearing his voice. Then he filled the silence again, "Why are you not eating your pie?"

She looked up from the pie and looked around the small diner, only Stacy and the cook were inside. Her heart pounded into her throat, "How…"

Slowly, she turned in her seat to look out the window, her hand releasing the comm., and it crashed onto the table knocking over her coffee and ruining her pie. Jumping to her feet, she bolted to the diner door, her purse and umbrella left at the table as Stacy yelled at her that she didn't pay her bill. But she didn't care. Here and now she was standing in front of a ghost or a man that is still alive.

"Yo." He says, standing there, comm. link in hand, and that smirk that almost breaks her heart all over again.

* * *

'**You're alive…'**

'**Seems like it.'**

'**Where have you been?'**

'**I woke up from dreaming.'**

**Session Two: Coffee & Cigarette**

'**You look good, Faye.'**

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**Wow, so my new story is under way! Yay! Review and Flame if you want ^^**

**I'm so excited to be writing again! Sorry, if it was a little short. Hope you all enjoyed!**


	2. Session Two: Coffee & Cigarette

_**DISCLAIMER:**_I wish that I owned Cowboy Bebop; however, I do NOT! Spike and Faye would be doing it all the time if I did.

_**Author Notes:**_ Thank you all for the reviews! I was so happy to get some awesome feedback. I'm going to make a soundtrack later on for my story so you don't have to read it in silence. Enjoy Chapter Two!

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_**Previously:**_

Slowly, she turned in her seat to look out the window, her hand releasing the comm., and it crashed onto the table knocking over her coffee and ruining her pie. Jumping to her feet, she bolted to the diner door, her purse and umbrella left at the table as Stacy yelled at her that she didn't pay her bill. But she didn't care. Here and now she was standing in front of a ghost or a man that is still alive.

"Yo." He says, standing there, comm. link in hand, and that smirk that almost breaks her heart all over again.

* * *

_**Session 2: Coffee & Cigarettes**_

Somehow, they found themselves sitting in that same ugly blue booth she had been sitting in earlier. The ruined pie and coffee stains has been cleaned while she was outside, standing in the rain with the dead man. When she returned with a new guest following behind her, the waitress smiled, and then winked. It was as if she already knew the whole story, already seen this story play out before; however, they doubted that the waitress knew their story. A story completed with lies, betrayal, syndicates', and words left unsaid. Words that laid heavy on her chest as she stared at the breathing man in front of her and all she could think about was having a cigarette. Well, that wasn't all she was thinking, another thought also kept repeating itself in her mind.

'He's alive…?'

She stared into her off-white coffee mug; the murky drink had been keeping her hands busy as she listened to him explain his story of survival. So far she had only caught bits and pieces, not because she didn't want to hear it, but because he was sitting here in front of her. He looked the same, but different. He looked older, but not any the wiser. His presence shook her to the core; yet, she was surprising not angry, she was more scared than anything. He had appeared in front of her as if it was nothing.

"- after that I woke up on the Bebop." He took a giant spoon full of cheesecake into his mouth, "Jet told me later that one of his ISSP buddies recognized me and called him with my whereabouts."

She smiled slightly as he stuffed another helping of dessert, "I take it there's no food on the Bebop?"

"I wouldn't know."

That caught her by surprise, tilting her head; she raised a sharp eyebrow, "You wouldn't know? I thought you were still on the Bebop?"

His mouth curved, "That proves that you, Romani, were not paying attention."

Romani. Her eyes softened at the nickname. Unlike her other nicknames, Poker Alice or Queen of Hearts, she would always have a soft spot for Romani. Placing her chin in her hand, she smiled that mischievous smile, "I can't be stuck in one place for long, remember Gaucho, it'll kill me."

He met her gaze, "And if I remember correctly I'm a bumpkin that doesn't know which way it up."

The empty diner was then filled with laughter of two star-crossed people. She could not remember the last time she actually laughed with someone like this. When their laughter died out, he watched her as she pulled herself to together, and fixed her hair. She still was the same Faye. Clothes might have changed into something more modest, but her personality was there and it was as strong as ever. Then her voice broke through the small silence.

"You're alive…"

She studied his face as he took another drink of coffee. He had a few scars that weren't there before, but they were so faint that you wouldn't notice. His right eye was still a different color; it was somehow comforting to know that he didn't change it.

"Seems like it."

'Seems like it?' Her eyes narrowed slightly at his statement. That's all the explanation he was going to give her, "Well, where have you been? Where did you go?"

"I told you I was going to see if I was really alive." His face suddenly darkened and he was staring down at her left hand, "I woke up from dreaming a long time ago."

She followed his gaze to her hand, a pain of guilt shot through her body as she look down at the Peruzzi cut sapphire diamond. Her mind began racing of the man she was about to marry. She pulled her hands off the table and placed both of them in her lap and out of his view. He noticed the pick rushing to her face.

"Who's the lucky guy?" He asked with a slight monotone.

She fidgeted in her seat, "Dr. Herald Zickafoose, he is the head surgeon at Tharsis Medical."

Why did she feel like she was bragging? She should be happy to announce that she was finally settling down. Giving up the gambling and bounty hunting to have a family to call all her own. What was wrong with her? As soon as she seen Spike's face out on the street, she forgot everything about Herald, about the wedding, and about her future.

"A doctor, huh?" He finished off his coffee and cheesecake, "Romani, you are still full of surprises. What happened to 'you can't be stuck in one place for long or it would kill you?"

She met his gaze; his eyes always seemed to make her breathless. Herald was the complete opposite of Spike. Herald had light blonde hair and blue-grey eyes; he was like a knight in shiny armor. Spike had deep brown eyes that didn't match, but they were just right on him and saggy unkempt dark hair; he was a pirate look for another fight. Two complete different men, yet they both somehow weaved their way into her life. How lucky was she? A knight in shiny armor and a pirate; what could go wrong?

"You finally ready to stop running?"

She shook her head at his words, "Yeah, I'm standing still."

He pushed himself up from the booth and smiled down at her while throwing a few woolongs on the table for the tip, "I could never stand still."

"I know." She stood as well, She hated the thought of this moment ending, but everything good always had an end. Grabbing her umbrella and purse, she tilted her head at him, "Do you really not live on the Bebop anymore?"

"I still do." He smiled, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket, "I just haven't been there in a week while look for a bounty."

"Oh."

After paying the bill, they stood outside in the rain under her umbrella and his fluffy coat tucked under his arm. They were once again in silence, which he broke, "Well, I'll see you around, Romani."

"Yeah," Her feet stayed planted to the ground, "I'll be Faye Zickafoose next time you see me."

"That's a terrible thought." He mumbled as he lit his cigarette, "That name is awful."

She laughed, "Well get use to it. God knows I have too"

He chuckled and went to move, but he stopped. Taking one last drag of his cigarette; he placed the nicotine stick between her lips, "Take care, Faye."

She hesitated as he started to walk away, "See you around, Gaucho."

With that, they went their separate ways. His hands tucked into his pockets and her lips warped around the cigarette he had given her. How was she going to explain to her roommates why she smelled like cigarettes after not smoking for the last two years?

* * *

"**Spike, you're back!"**

"**Yeah."**

"**Didn't get the bounty?"**

"**Worse."**

**Session Three: The Color Yellow**

"**I got sidetracked"**

"**How?"**

"**Faye Zickafoose."**

**Alright, not sure how everyone will take this chapter, but I hope you enjoy it! I promise I will start speeding up my updates, but forgive me I was out of town for two weeks, so that is why I didn't update. It might be short…again, but I will make the next chapters longer…or try too xD**


	3. Session 3: The Color Yellow

DISCLAIMER: Same as the previous chapters.

**New Authors Note**: After not being able to get to a computer for a while. I realized I didn't like how I left off the end of this chapter. So I have redone most of it. Please enjoy the new Session 3.

**Old Author Notes:** I would just like to say a thank you to everyone who has reviewed. All of your reviews are what keeps me from stopping this story. XD - In all truthfulness, when I started this it was just going to be a bittersweet one-shot, then ideas starting happening and TA-DA! We are here at Chapter Three!

So Please Enjoy!

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**Previously**

He chuckled and went to move, but he stopped. Taking one last drag of his cigarette; he placed the nicotine stick between her lips, "Take care, Faye."

She hesitated as he started to walk away, "See you around, Gaucho."

With that, they went their separate ways. His hands tucked into his pockets and her lips warped around the cigarette he had given her. How was she going to explain to her roommates why she smelled like cigarettes after not smoking for the last two years?

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**Session Three: The Color Yellow**

If he was asked if he had recognized her before meeting her in the diner; he would have answered yes without any type of uncertainty. It was not her plum color hair or the sway of her hips that had gave it away. It had been the way her mouth slightly parted in astonishment when their eyes met, and for him that was evidence enough. So, he had followed her to that small diner and sat with her as she nervously avoided his every gaze for the first twenty minutes. It took everything in his body to not yell at her for being so apparently uncomfortable by his presence. Then again, he was supposed to be a dead man in her world, a ghost of sorts.

He smiled slightly, 'Didn't I tell her I was going to find out if I was really alive?'

Once he rounded the block corner from the diner; he took a deep breath, a deep breath that he had not realized he was holding. She was getting married. Faye Valentine, the Poker Alice, Miss Queen of Hearts, was getting married to a surgeon, the head surgeon at that. How screwed up was that? She leaves the Bebop and finds her 'true love' while he has to live on the Bebop with a bunch of freaking love birds.

After a bounty had gone wrong on Ganymede, Jet and Spike had to take cover in a small restaurant as their bounty and his goons tried to kill them. That's when Spike believes Jet was stabbed, not shot, with cupid's arrow. The table they were hiding under was occupied by a woman, who was only a few years older than Spike, and when the bounty asked everyone in the restaurant if they had seen them, she smiled and called out, 'They went out back through the kitchen, one of them were yelling about going to Callisto.' After that, they found out her name was Brenda and that she was retired ISSP officer as well. Two months later, Jet invited her onto the Bebop and she happily agreed. However, they were not the only couple on the old fishing ship.

Spike had gone on another bounty, not that long after they met Brenda, and before he could make his move, two young hunters already had the bounty on the ground. It didn't take him long to recognize the girl, who was now sixteen and still just as lanky as him, as she yelled, 'Spike-person!' when she saw him hunched down behind a pile of boxes. She had jumped him and was squeezing his lung dry, when the boy she was with pulled her off of him. Edward introduces her partner in crime as Shane, who was about an inch shorter than him and average built with light brown hair. Ed looped her arms around the boy and smiled 'He's Ed's special person.' After that, he didn't really remember how, but they ended up living in Faye's old room. And it's been like that for the pass two years or so.

Stuffing his hands into his pocket; he let out a moan as he pulled out an empty cigarette carton. He didn't remember smoking the last one. Abruptly, as if the carton was a bomb, he dropped the empty container to the ground and stared at it. He had given his last cigarette to Faye Freaking Valentine! Why did he do that!? He did it without thinking. Kicking the annoying reminder of no cigarettes away; he pulled out his communication link, he was going to head back to the store. So while he was out he might as well see if any of the girls needed something.

Beep.

Beep.

His eyebrow twitched as Ein's face came up on the screen, "Who even taught you how to answer the damn thing!?"

"Spike…?"

He sighed in relief as Brenda's face came into view. Her hands were working on throwing her strawberry color hair into a ponytail, "Need something?"

"Yeah, I'm on my way back and-" He was caught off, when Ed came bouncing in the room laughing at Shane about something, "And I wanted to know if you guys needed anything before I came back?"

"No, we're good." Brenda smiled as she reached to the floor, "Jet bought supplies yesterday along with some-"

A large box of Spike's cigarette's appeared on the screen, Jet had gotten him a box with twenty-four cartons in it. Sometimes, he loved that man too much, "I'm on my way back now."

"See you then."

The call ended just as he made it onto the docks. The Bebop sat more than fifty yards away from him, the ships name, re-painted with yellow paint, could been seen clear as day. He remembered when Jet told him to go paint it yellow. He had asked just why that color and Jet just smiled, saying that Charlie had told him in a dream that yellow just belonged on the old fishing ship. He had not given that any thought until now. There was a yellow couch and chair, the ships railing were yellow, and there used to be a girl who wore a skimpy yellow outfit. Yellow belonged on that damn ship.

Walking up the ramp, he was met by the owner of the old ship, "Spike, you're back!"

"Yeah."

"Uh-oh..." Jet's eyebrows scrunched together, "...didn't get the bounty?"

Strutting pass him, he removed his coat and rolling his neck along with it, "Worse."

"Worse?"

They walked into the common's room, where Brenda had graciously left the cigarettes on the table for him. Opening the pack, he pulled out his silver Zippo, faster than Jet could see, and took a deep, loving drag of his cancerous stick. He looked up at the ceiling fan, it was off for once. His eyes roamed the room, only to find four pairs looking back at him.

"What?"

Jet rolled his eyes, "Well, you were gone for almost a week to catch a bounty, and then you come back empty handed."

"Well…" He took another hit off the cigarette, "I got side-tracked."

Brenda's eyebrow rose, "How?"

He looked back at them. Their attention was devoted to him entirely, awaiting his answer. His lips rippled around the cigarette. Should he tell them the truth? Tell them that he ran into the infamous Faye Valentine, only to be slapped in the face with the fact that she is getting happily married. That she is doing well for herself and that she looked amazing. Sitting up, he sighed, "Faye Zickafoose."

"Faye Zickafoose…" Jet's head tilted to the side in question, and then it seemed to hit him like a kick to the gut, "WAIT! You ran into Faye!?"

Edward's eyes brighten up. Ever since she came to the Bebop all she talked about was finding Faye and bringing her back to the rusty old life of a bounty hunter, but Jet always stopped her. He would tell her, 'Faye left on her on, let her come back on her own.' Today, Spike would have to tell the girl, that her role model was never coming back because she found a better life. A life without The Bebop. A life without any them.

"Yeah." It came out as a whisper, "She's getting married."

He watched as Jet ran a hand through his non-existing hair and Ed's eyes widen in disbelief. He glanced to the other two, Brenda and Shane, who just looked at each other; hoping that the other one would fill them in, but that only, brought more confusion. Pushing himself off the couch, he muttered an excuse to leave. He didn't feel very social at the moment.

"I'm going to go work out."

He left before anyone could say anything.

* * *

**"Are you serious, Faye?"**

**"...it's not what you think!"**

**"I thought you said he died!?"**

**Session Four: Inhale**

**"He did die!"**

**"Then what happened...?"**

**"He finally woke up"**

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_**Alright, here is the updated to Session 3. Session 4 & 5 will be up in a little while after some editing.**_


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